It needn't be this way. Consider, now, a world such as Druckenwell. It is an industrial world, but one with strict environmental regulations and laws for responsible land use. This is an important example because it illustrates that the governments of polluted worlds such as Metellos, Eriadu, Balosar and others are not doing what they could do to stop the destruction of their environments and ecosystems. Invariably, this occurs when these governments consider economic interests more important than environmental ones and, invariably, each of these worlds has a small, wealthy class and a far larger, poorer class that lives in misery.

What I would suggest to the Senate is that to live in a clean and healthy environment is not a mere privilege but is, in many respects, a right. I feel we must recognize that a planet is, first and foremost, a place to live far more so than simply a place to exploit for resources, minerals, or other economic interests. If the government of a New Republic world shows no regard for its environment, its ecosystems, its biosphere, and so on, I feel that the New Republic itself must compel it to do so. Indeed, the Senate determined in the Devolution of Power Act that environmental matters are "reserved" to the New Republic, rather than to its worlds.

What I propose is this.

If a world demonstrates no regard, or inadequate regard, for the introduction of industrial contaminants into its environment that cause significant instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem (i.e. physical systems or living organisms), that world will be placed on environmental probation. This would require planets to devise a plan of investment in atmosphere scrubbers, aquifer purifiers, waste disposal systems, plans to reduce emissions, or whatever is deemed necessary to relieve the destruction of that world's environment. What exactly is considered necessary, which worlds will be placed on probation, and how long these worlds will have to comply will be determined by a new Environmental Defense Committee, or EDC.

If the world in question does not comply within the time determined, it will be subject to sanctions, limits on new construction, etc.

I vote in favor, of course. But I recognize, also, that this is a large, complicated bill and a larger and more complicated problem which I alone may not have the answers to. Thus, I welcome input from the Senate.